Day One - 18th April, 2025.
Home - Calliope Rest Area Miriam Vale
Our big 3 week adventure is finally here. We're heading off the Cairns, so Craig can go on his 6 night Fishing Charter with his mate Dave and eight other punters (it was his Christmas/Birthday present). We are working our way up to Cairns over the next 4 days to arrive in Cairns on Tuesday, where I will stay and work remotely while hubby goes off to catch da fish 🐋🐟
I know what you're thinking, you're leaving on Good Friday are you mad - well yes, but it is necessary to get up there for the charter and it's okay we made sure we have covered all the public holidays Easter, Anzac Day and Labour Day 👍
We had a few things to finish up around the property before we head off, including mowing at the last minute so we didn't come home to a jungle full of slivering 🐍😮 and yes, we left about an hour late. Quite surprised at how quiet the roads were heading north from the Sunshine Coast, not that we were complaining, trust me.
I have plotted our course up the coastline to reach Cairns Tuesday morning, which will give us until Thursday morning to set up, go buy a few things for his charter (Oh, I don't know like a new fishing rod, tackle, alcohol and ear plugs apparently😂) and for me and Barney to eat and drink, you know just the basics.We got away at 12pm, traffic was reasonable northbound on the Bruce. Stopped at Gunalda United for some fuel, lunch and to release the hound for a wander so he stops whining and whinging in the car (does it for about for the first hour, get him out and then he's good - weird). Geezus, it was busy and people were so rude, it reminds me why normally we would not go anywhere over Easter. I did come across a little old Staffy tied to the post near an entrance to the shop patiently waiting for his/her owner. Gave him/her a scratch and made sure the knob pulling into the park in front wasn't going to hit him/her.
Crickey I'll be glad to get out of here!
Back on the road, knocking off the kilometres until we reach good ole' Tiaro. We stopped not far after leaving the servo, the traffic was crawling. Half an hour it took for us to reach Tiaro finally and there was just no reason 😡 Since it was Good Friday Tiaro was dead absolutely nothing open, nobody there, no one crossing the road, no roadworks were going on, so I have no idea WHY ?
Due to this little set back to our plan, we re-assessed our arrival time at Calliope would be around 6pm and decided we would stop at Miriam Vale for the night, since it'll be near on 5pm by the time we get there. I haven't made our journey each day any longer then about 4 1/2 hours, we stop about every 2 hours to give everyone a break, but especially Craig as he is driving. I'm going to put my little soapbox down on the earth for a little moment and just have a wee little whinge about the Bruce Highway!! Holey Crap it is in disgusting condition, from rattling your teeth out of your head, giving you a headache and neck ache to making the dog look like he's continuously having a head tremor, the poor little fella, they really do need to fix this road up for crying out loud.
Right, soapbox put away again.
I called ahead to the Star Roadhouse and Caravan Park in Miriam Vale to make sure we could get a site, yes I know it's not exactly a destination but it is Easter. I would have preferred to have stayed at the Miriam Vale Pub, but of course it wasn't open being Good Friday and the RV park which is basically a bitumen car park didn't excite us, so for the sake of paying $25.00 and we'd have power and water, plus a lovely hot shower and sit down flushing loo, caravan park it was.
It's a small Caravan Park with a couple of cabins and about 8 sites, pool, dog friendly and updated amenities. You can get pizza, burgers etc., from the servo for dinner if you choose until 8pm.
We just had an easy dinner of hot dogs, enjoyed our hot shower, then retired to bed. Craig was somewhat tired and Barney is over stimulated and being a complete pain in the a*#e.
Getting Barney to go to sleep and stay asleep was difficult and it's not what you would call a quiet park, being it's on the Bruce Highway.
It's all good, just a part of the adventure!
